Sweet Corn Muffins

1 1/2 c. flour
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. corn meal
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 1/4 c. milk
2 eggs
1/2 c. melted butter

Combine dry ingredients, then add wet and mix until just combined. Scoop into greased or lined muffin tin and bake in 350 degree oven about 30 minutes.

I have had some seriously bad luck with recipes lately. We tried four new ones the week before last, all from Everyday Food, and we only ended up liking one. I only tried one new one this week but I was disappointed with that one, too. Since we tried so many I wouldn't recommend, this list is a combo from the last two weeks...

1. Penne with creamy pumpkin sauce

2. Venison roast - pretty simple here. I made a garlic paste with garlic, thyme, salt and pepper, covered the meat and roasted with a few yellow potatoes, an onion and a couple carrots.

3. Sloppy Joes

4. Eggplant Parmesan - I didn't use a recipe. I just coated the eggplant with flour, dipped it in egg and then breadcrumbs and then pan fried. We ate it with some whole wheat pasta and a simple tomato sauce.

5. Venison Carbonnade

Obviously we're subbing venison in for beef in just about every recipe that I have.

Penne w/ Creamy Pumpkin Sauce

12 oz. penne
2 T. olive oil
1 T. fresh rosemary
15 oz. pumpkin puree
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 c. half & half
1/3 c. Parmesan
1 T. white wine vinegar
1/4 t. crushed red pepper

1. Cook pasta in pot of salted water until al dente. Reserve 2 cups pasta water, drain pasta and set aside.
2. In pasta pot, heat oil over medium. Add rosemary and fry for 1-2 minutes. Remove rosemary from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. Carefully add pumpkin to oil (it will splatter) and garlic, half & half, cheese, vinegar, red pepper and 1 cup reserved pasta water to pot. Stir sauce until heated through about 2 minutes.
4. Add pasta to sauce and toss to coat. If necessary, thin sauce with remaining pasta water. Season generously with salt and serve sprinkled with fried rosemary and more crushed red pepper if you like it spicy.

-Everyday Food

Beef Carbonnade

3 1/2 pounds blade steaks , 1 inch thick, trimmed of gristle and fat and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds yellow onions (about 3 medium), halved and sliced about 1/4 inch thick (about 8 cups)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 1/2 cups beer (12-ounce bottle or can)
4 sprigs fresh thyme , tied with kitchen twine
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 300 degrees. Dry beef thoroughly with paper towels, then season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke; add about one-third of beef to pot. Cook without moving pieces until well browned, 2 to 3 minutes; using tongs, turn each piece and continue cooking until second side is well browned, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer browned beef to medium bowl. Repeat with additional 2 teaspoons oil and half of remaining beef. (If drippings in bottom of pot are very dark, add about 1/2 cup of above-listed chicken or beef broth and scrape pan bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits; pour liquid into bowl with browned beef, then proceed.) Repeat once more with 2 teaspoons oil and remaining beef.

2. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to now-empty Dutch oven; reduce heat to medium-low. Add onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and tomato paste; cook, scraping bottom of pot with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits, until onions have released some moisture, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add flour and stir until onions are evenly coated and flour is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in broths, scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits; stir in beer, thyme, bay, vinegar, browned beef with any accumulated juices, and salt and pepper to taste. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to full simmer, stirring occasionally; cover partially, then place pot in oven. Cook until fork inserted into beef meets little resistance, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

3. Discard thyme and bay. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste and serve. (Can be cooled and refrigerated in airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat over medium-low heat.)

-America's Test Kitchen

It has taken me a while to post these recipes. Sorry about that. My schedule got all thrown off. I usually grocery shop Monday or Tuesday night and by Sunday I've tried all my new recipes. Last week or the week before (whatever) I grocery shopped late in the week. Anyway, here's what we had.

1. Zucchini Pasta - I love this recipe. We planted zucchini in our garden and so we would have everything on hand to make this any time. I didn't even try zucchini until like last year and I think it's my favorite vegetable.

2. Meatloaf with mashed potatoes - So, I never made meatloaf before last week and I have to tell you something. I love it! It was so good and I am definitely hanging on to this recipe.

3. Broccoli Cheese Soup - I have a new "top secret recipe" for this one. It's supposed to be just like the one at Panera Bread. It is really yummy and more flavorful than the other recipe I have.

4. Lighter Chicken Pot Pie - this one came from Everyday Food and it was really good and really easy. My Mom posted this recipe on her blog, too.

5. BLTs

Classic Meatloaf

3 slices white sandwich bread
1/3 cup whole milk
1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 medium onion, grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg
1/2 cup ketchup
Coarse salt and ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Place bread in food processor; pulse until fine crumbs form. Transfer to a small bowl; stir in milk. Set aside, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine beef, pork, onion, garlic, egg, 1/4 cup ketchup, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add bread-milk mixture, and mix very gently with a fork (do not overmix).
3. Place meat mixture on prepared baking sheet, and form into a loaf about 9 inches long and 4 to 5 inches wide.
4. Bake, brushing twice with remaining 1/4 cup ketchup during baking, until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees, 45 to 55 minutes. Let meatloaf rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Zucchini Pasta

1 lb. pasta (any kind)
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium zucchini, chopped (I always use more)
1 c. Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 c. basil, torn or shredded

Boil water and salt. Cook pasta until al dente. Save a cup or so of your pasta water.

Heat a large skillet over medium. Add oil and garlic. Cook 2 minutes and add zucchini. Cook about 8-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add a couple ladles of cooking water. Drain pasta and add to zucchini. Toss with the cheese and turn off the heat. Toss for 2 minutes until liquids are absorbed. Serve with basil on top.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

crust:
about 1/2 package of Oreos (I go for the Double Stuff, who wants to eat the leftover 1/2 package of regular Oreos?)
2/3 c. softened butter

chocolate filling:
1 1/3 c. milk choco chips
3/4 c. mini marshmallows
1/2 c. sweetened condensed milk
1/4 t. vanilla
1 c. heavy cream

peanut butter filling:
1/2 c. sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c. peanut butter
2 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. sugar

Blend Oreos and butter & press into a pie tin. Refrigerate. Melt chips, marshmallows, & condensed milk over low heat until smooth. Transfer mixture to a bowl and add vanilla; let cool. Beat in heavy cream with a mixer until blended and refrigerate one hour. Melt condensed milk and peanut butter on low heat mixing very well; allow to cool. Whip cream and sugar with a mixer. Add half to peanut butter mixture and spread into crust. Refrigerate. Beat chocolate mixture with mixer until stiff, spread over peanut butter layer and refrigerate. Serve with leftover whipped cream.

+ To speed up the process I put it in the freezer on all the refrigerate steps. You can also serve it frozen, either way is really good.

This was sort of a lazy week. Easy recipes that don't take a lot of time. Three new ones.

1. funeral potatoes (yes, this was all we ate all day on conference Sunday)
2. Butternut Squash & Parsnip baked pasta - this was one of the new ones and I thought it was really tasty. It's spicy. Oh, and my grocery store didn't have parsnips so I substituted carrots
3. Omlets and breakfast potatoes
4. Chili with buttermilk cornbread muffins - next time I will add at least another tablespoon of sugar to the cornbread recipe or maybe a couple tablespoons of honey
5. Thai Chicken Wraps - I thought this one was tasty but Russell didn't like it, I don't think we'll make it again
6. Chili Cheese Black Bean Enchiladas

Breakfast Potatoes

potatoes
onion
garlic
butter
olive oil

I saute an onion in about three tablespoons of butter about 5 minutes. Then I add about five cloves of chopped garlic and the potatoes. I try to chop them pretty small and don't use too high heat or the potatoes will burn on the outside before they cook through. Add olive oil to the pan as needed to keep everything from sticking.

Funeral Potatoes

I don't have any measurements for this but I think it's practically impossible to mess up (unless you go adding crap like onions)

frozen hashbrowns
sour cream
butter
cream of mushroom soup
cheese

Combine all ingredients in a disposable turkey pan and bake at 350 for at least two hours

1. Sesame Ginger Noodles I add a few cloves of garlic, a teaspoon of crushed red pepper, and some veggies - broccoli, carrots, and snow peas.
2. Pizza We saw a commercial for a double decker pizza so we decided to try it. I doubled the dough recipe and we made a tomato sauce (29oz. can crushed tomatoes, 1 onion, 4 garlic cloves, tomato paste, oregano, basil, crushed red pepper), added pepperoni and then layered it all. We also had some leftover bacon - added that, too.
3. Southwest Corn Chowder
4. Westwood Chicken Salad
5. Creamy Chicken & Dumplings
6. Green Minestrone

Creamy Chicken & Dumplings

3 T. flour
3 chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
2 T. butter
2 stalks celery
2 carrots
1 onion
2 c. chicken broth
1 can cream chicken soup with herbs
pepper
1 package (6) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1 cup frozen peas

Coat chicken with flour. In large saucepan cook chicken, celery, carrot, and onion in butter about 2-3 minutes. Stir in broth, soup and pepper. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer covered about 20 minutes or until veggies are tender. Meanwhile, separate biscuits and cut into quarters. Stir peas into chicken mixture, return to boiling. Place biscuit pieces on top of chicken mixture. Simmer covered over med-high heat about 10-15 minutes.

Pizza Dough

2 t. yeast
1 t. sugar
1 c. warm water
2 t. salt
olive oil
3 c. flour

Whisk first 3 ingredients and let sit 10 minutes (mixture should get frothy and poof up). Add salt and flour. Mix. Add water about 1 teaspoon at a time until a ball forms. Kneed more flour in by hand if dough is sticky. Let rise about 1 hour or until it doubles in size.

I have a new idea for this blog. Since about June I've been keeping track of the planned meals for the week on a monthly calendar at my desk. For me, it's a good way to avoid eating the same standbys all the time and it also helps me remember the new recipes that we try and like. What I think I'll do here is post my dinner recipes for the week before. If they turned out well, I will link or post the recipe. Sweet? Sweet.

Last week:

1. Spicy Country Ribs with garlic mashed potatoes
2. Turkey hand pies
3. French toast
4. Looks bad, tastes good
5. Pasta salad with roasted veggies
6. Macaroni & beef

French Toast

2 eggs
1 c. sugar
1 T. cornstarch
1 c. whole milk
1/2 t. nutmeg
8 thick slices french bread
butter
maple syrup

Preheat pan over medium heat. Beat eggs very well, add sugar, & beat again. Add cornstarch, milk and nutmeg. Coat bread in egg-milk mixture. Lightly butter hot pan with butter. Add bread to pan and cook slowly.

Skillet Macaroni & Beef

This recipe came from my weekly e-mail from America's Test Kitchen.

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 large onion, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
6 garlic cloves
2 cups elbow macaroni
1 29oz. can tomato sauce
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 t. dried oregano
salt & pepper
1 cup cheese

Cook beef in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat until no longer pink, about 7 minutes. Drain beef, leaving 2 tablespoons of fat in the skillet & reserve. Add onion, red pepper, & garlic to fat in skillet & cook, covered until softened, about 3 minutes. Add macaroni, tomato sauce, broth, oregano, & reserved beef to skillet & bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt & pepper. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve.

Chicken Pot Pie

1 cup flour
1/2 t. salt
1 stick cold butter
2 T. ice water
1 egg yolk

2 chicken breast halves (bone in are awesome if you can get them)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups low-fat (1%) milk
1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

First thing, cube your butter and place it in the freezer while you assemble ingredients. Combine flour and salt in bowl of food processor. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles course meal. Add egg yolk and water. Mix until dough forms. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly; shred meat, and set aside.

While chicken is roasting, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add carrots, onion, and thyme; season with salt and pepper, and cook until carrots are crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add flour, and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Gradually add milk, stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a simmer and thickens. Remove from heat; stir in peas, lemon juice, and chicken, and season with salt and pepper. Pour filling into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate.

Roll dough out about 1/2" more than the diameter of your pie plate. Place back in fridge 10 minutes. Place dough on top of filling. Bake until golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes.

Tip: Put a baking sheet or foil under the pie pan to catch anything that may bubble over.

Lemonade/Limeade

Have you ever made real homemade lemonade? Oh, there is nothing better. My mouth is watering right now just thinking about it.

1 c. lemon juice (or lime juice)
2/3 c. simple syrup
4 cups water

Boil 1 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of water to make 1 cup of simple syrup. Let cool and combine all ingredients.

Smoky BBQ Beef Brisket

I've only made this once. My crock pot is bigger so next time I will double the recipe for the sauce so the beef is covered entirely. Russell says we should keep this one.

2-3 lbs. brisket
1 t. chili powder
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. celery seed
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup chili sauce (I had Frank's Hot Sauce)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 T. vinegar
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 t. liquid smoke (I left out)
1/2 t. dry mustard
1/3 cup water
3 T. flour

Rub brisket with chili powder, garlic powder, celery seed and pepper. Place in crock pot. Combine ketchup, chili sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, liquid smoke (if using) and dry mustard. Pour over brisket. Cover and cook on low 10 hours or high 5 hours. Remove meat from cooker and skim fat from juices in cooker. Stir together water and flour and add juices. Cook until thick and bubbly. Serve with meat.

Outback Spicy Ranch

This is the spicy ranch that they serve at Outback with the cheese fries. It is so good. If you like ranch, you have to give it a shot.

1 t. Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch dressing milk
1 cup mayo
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon coarsly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon red pepper (I usually double at least)

Christmas Pasta

It's been a while but here it is, as promised, Rachael Ray's Christmas Pasta.

1 lb. rigatoni
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 lb pancetta
1/4 lb. hot Italian sausage
1/4 lb. sweet Italian sausage
1/2 lb. ground sirloin
1/2 lb. ground veal
1/2 t. allspice
black pepper
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 med. yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic
1/2 c. dry red wine (I go without, the beef broth deglazes the pan anyway)
1 cup beef broth
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup parsley
1/2 cup Romano

Heat skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 T. olive oil and brown pancetta in one half the pan and sausage in the other half. Break up sausage and let pancetta render. Combine and cook together for a minute. Remove from pan. Add 1 T. olive oil and brown the beef and veal. Season with allspice, salt and pepper. Add carrots, onion and garlic and cook for 6 minutes to soften. Add sausage and pancetta. Deglaze with wine. Add beef broth and tomatoes. Simmer over low heat until ready to serve. Stir in parsley.

Spaghetti and Meatball "Stoup"

As if you didn't already know from the name, this is a Rachael Ray recipe.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups tomato sauce
3 cups chicken stock
1 pound extra lean ground sirloin
1/2 cup grated parmigiano
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 pound spaghetti, broken in half
basil
bread for dipping

Preheat a medium soup pot over medium heat. Add oil, carrots, celery, onions, and garlic and saute 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and stock and cover the pot. Turn up the heat and bring to a fast boil. While soup comes to a boil, mix meat, cheese, breadcrumbs, egg and parsley until just combined. Roll into balls. Remove lid from soup and slide meatballs in. Bring back up to a boil and stir in spaghetti. Reduce the heat and simmer about 10 minutes until pasta is tender and meatballs are cooked through. Stir in basil and take soup off stove. Serve with bread and extra cheese.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

3 c. broccoli florets
4 c. chicken broth
1 c. half & half
1/2 c. flour
8 slices Kraft Sharp Cheddar singles (I use whatever I have)
1/2 c. shredded carrot
1/3 c. diced white onion
pepper

Steam broccoli in a steamer basket about 6 minutes. Remove and dice into small chunks. Pour chicken broth & half & half in saucepan. Whisk in flour and add remaining ingredients. including broccoli. Turn heat to medium, stirring often until mixture begins to bubble. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until carrots are tender and soup is thick.

Basic Chicken Stock

I know this one is not normal but let me plead my case. Roasted chicken is so easy. So easy. Roast a chicken for dinner, make your own stock with the leftovers. It's easy and you can make a really simple chicken noodle soup recipe like this one taste so good. (By the way, I made this chicken noodle soup with store bought chicken broth and it is delightful and very fast.)

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
1 onion halved
chicken bones (whatever is leftover)
2 quarts cold water
4 sprigs parsley
4 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves

Saute the veggies about 4 minutes. Add everything else and simmer one hour. Strain. Refrigerate or freeze.

Chicken Tetrazzini

This recipe is way good but I can't bear to type out all the ingredients and directions. Do you ever notice that when you watch someone make something on a cooking show a recipe that you would have most definately flipped by in a book looks good? Well, I watched Giada make this on Everyday Italian.

You can get the recipe here.

Canadian Bacon Strata

softened butter for pan
6 English muffins, toasted and cut in half
1/2 pound Canadian bacon, halved
1 1/4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
8 eggs
3 cups milk
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco

Butter a baking dish. Alternately arrange, cut side down, muffin halves and Canadian bacon. Sprinkle with cheeses. Whisk together eggs, milk, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pinch of pepper and hot sauce. Pour over muffins and bacon. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Preheat oven to 350. Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until puffed and set in the center about an hour and a half. Tent with foil if strata starts browning too quickly. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Fettuccine Alfredo

12 ounces fettuccine
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup half and half
1 cup parmigiano reggiano
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
black pepper
pinch salt

Bring salted water to a rolling boil for pasta. Preheat large skillet over moderate heat. Add butter to pan and melt. Add half and half to melted butter stirring constantly, add cheese and cook sauce for one minute. Season with nutmeg, pepper and salt. Turn off heat and add drained pasta.

Cheesy Mac

I'll be the first to profess my undying love for Kraft but this is on a whole other level.

4 cups cooked elbow macaroni (I leave mine slightly undercooked)
2 cups grated Cheddar
3 eggs beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons butter, cubed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350. While macaroni is still hot add the cheddar. In a separate bowl combine remaining ingredients. Add to macaroni mixture. Pour in casserole dish and bake 30-45 minutes.

Spaghetti Pie

1 tablespoon butter
1 pound spaghetti
6 large eggs, beaten
1 pound mozarella
1 cup Pecorino Romano
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Cook spaghetti until al dente. Mix all ingredients. Put into cake pan lined with parchment paper. Cover and bake at 375 for 40 minutes. Remove cover and bake 20 more minutes. I like to serve with a marinara sauce on the side.

Chicken Cigars

I have not perfected the art that is Phyllo dough. Not even close. I'm still not giving up on this recipe though.

1 1/2 pounds ground chicken breast
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons grill seasoning
2 tablespoons fresh parsley (fresh makes a huge difference)
Phyllo dough

Combine all and cook in a skillet over medium high heat. Let cool and roll in phyllo dough and butter. Bake in a 425 oven 12-15 minutes.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

I don't make very many recipes using condensed soup but someone recommended this one and now Russell loves it.

2 1/2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
8 ounces of cheese (I use whatever I have, usually Cheddar)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
12 tortillas

Mix chicken, soup, 1/2 the sour cream, 1 cup cheese, and 3 tablespoons cilantro. Spoon 1/4 cup of the mixture into each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in a 9x13 pan. Top with cheese and cover. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining cilantro. Serve with remaining sour cream.

Chicken and Olive Empanadas

8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons raisins
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon chopped pimento stuffed green olives
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
36 potsticker wrappers
1 large beaten egg
2 cups oil

Combine first 11 ingredients in a heavy skillet. Transfer to food processor - add breadcrumbs. Add one teaspoon of the mixture to a wrapper and seal with egg. Fry until golden brown.

Marinated Salmon Seared in a Pepper Crust

I got this one from Gourmet Magazine.

4 - 6 ounce salmon fillets
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 minced garlic cloves
4 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons sugar
8 teaspoons ground pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil

In a ziplock, combine soy sauce, garlic, lemon, sugar and salmon coating it well. Let it marinade in the fridge for 30 minutes. Remove salmon, discarding the marinade, pat dry and press 2 teaspoons of pepper into each piece of salmon, coating it thoroughly. In a heavy skillet heat the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking and in it saute the salmon for 2 minutes on each side. (I used to have one of those George Foreman grills and I cooked the salmon on that instead)

Orange Chicken

This one is a lot of work but it is really yummy.

Sauce:
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon green onion
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
5 teaspoons corn starch
2 teaspoons arrowroot
3 teaspoons water

Chicken:
4 chicken breast fillets
1 cup ice water
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups flour

First make the sauce. Combine all ingredients except cornstarch, arrowroot and water. Bring up to a boil, remove from heat and let cool completely. Recipe suggests cutting chicken into chunks and marinading it in half the sauce mixture (but I never have time). Once sauce cools, combine cornstarch, arrowroot and water and add to mixture. Heat on high and stir constantly. Sauce will thicken very rapidly. Remove from heat and set aside to let cool. Mix together ingredients for batter - water, egg, baking soda, salt and flour - until just combined. Coat each piece of chicken with the batter and fry until chicken is cooked through.

Slow Cooker French Dip

4 pounds rump roast
10.5 ounce can beef broth
10.5 ounce can condensed French Onion soup
12 ounces beer
rolls
butter

Trim fat off roast. Place in skow cooker with broth, soup and beer. Cook on low setting for 7 hours. Toast buttered rolls under broiler.

Spicy Country Ribs

I put a link on my blog to this recipe before. We've eaten these alone with a fork and on rolls like a BBQ pork sandwich. Way good both ways.

1 small onion
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
4 pounds country pork ribs

Combine all ingredients and cook in a heavy covered casserole at 325 for 3 hours. Remove ribs from casserole, arrange on a broiler pan. Heat broiler. Pour juices from casserole into a bowl and place in the freezer for 10 minutes. Skim fat off the top and pour juices into a saucepan; boil over high heat until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Broil ribs about 6 inches from heat until browned. Serve with the sauce.

Sloppy Joes

olive oil (a turn around the pan)
1 1/4 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning (I always get the spicy kind)
1 medium onion
1 small red bell pepper
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste

Add oil and ground beef and brown in a pan for a minute. Add brown sugar and steak seasoning. After meat is completely browned, add onion, bell pepper, red wine vinegar, and Worchestershire. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and paste and simmer at least 5 minutes.

Chili

I love making chili from scratch. It's different every time; it just depends on your mood.

2 pounds ground beef
29 ounce can tomato sauce
29 ounce can kidney beans
29 ounce can pinto beans
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced green chili (we usually use an Anahiem pepper)
1/4 cup sliced celery
3 medium tomatoes
2 teaspoons cumin
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups water

I usually brown the ground beef, then add the onion, pepper, and celery; cook until the onion is soft and then add everything else. The longer you can let it simmer, the tastier it will be but we usually let it boil and then eat. Also, the original recipe calls for the water but we NEVER add it.

Buttermilk Pancakes

I feel like it's a huge waste to buy pancake mix. I always have everything on hand except buttermilk.

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
1 egg
1 tablespoon oil

Mix dry ingredients, then add wet. Cover and refridge for at least an hour. Add more buttermilk to thin. Cook on medium high heat.

Turkey & Vegetable Hand Pies

This is a recipe that a reader submitted to Everyday Food. The dough was very easy to make but next time, I will use a different recipe for the filling.

1 2/3 cups flour
1 stick butter, chilled & cut into chunks
2 t. baking powder
salt & pepper
1/4 to 1/2 c. ice water
2 T. olive oil
1 small onion minced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 carrot, halved lengthwise & thinly sliced crosswise
1 lb. ground turkey
1 box frozen green beans
1/4 cup heavy cream

In a food processor, combine flour, butter, baking powder, & 1/2 t. salt. Pulse until mixture resembles course meal. While pulsing gradually add ice water, until a dough begins to form. Turn onto a piece of plastic wrap & pat into a 1 inch thick square. Wrap & refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make filling: in a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onion, garlic and carrot. Cook stirring occasionally until carrot is tender, 5 - 7 minutes. Add turkey and cook until no longer pink. Add green beans and cream and cook until green beans are tender about 2 to 4 minutes. Season with salt & pepper. Cool to room temperature. Preheat oven to 400. Roll chilled dough into 16" square and cut into 4 equal squares. Divide filling between squares. Brush border with water and fold dough over. Press edges to seal, then crimp with a fork. With the tip of a knife, cut 2 - 3 small vents on the top. Transfer pies to rimmed baking sheets; bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

1 small onion
4 T. butter
6 cloves garlic
milk
potatoes
salt & pepper

Boil potatoes until tender. Saute onion in butter until softened. Add garlic and cook for a couple minutes. Take pan off heat and add milk to heat through before adding to potatoes.

Looks Bad, Tastes Good

Enchilada Pie (aka 'Looks bad, tastes good')

1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 large onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies
1 (4 oz.) can sliced ripe olives
1 (10-12 oz. can enchilada sauce
3/4 c. milk
1 pkg. flour tortillas
1/2 lb. cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 lb. monterey jack cheese, grated
sour cream

Brown meat and onion in a skillet and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add soups, green chilies, olives, enchilada sauce and milk. Keep mixture warm. Cut tortillas into small squares and place half in the bottom of a 9" x 13" pan. Top with half the meat mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the cheeses. Repeat layers. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes. Cool for a few minutes before serving. Top each serving with sour cream.

(Note: This casserole can be made in two 8" or 9" square pans. One casserole can be used and the other frozen. Be sure to thaw the casserole before baking. The baking time may need to be extended an additional 5 to 10 minutes.)